W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden | One of the world's premier collections of heirloom peonies.

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Peony Garden

Nichols Arboretum is open sunrise to sunset daily.

Late May – Early June
Visitor center open daily 10am-4:30pm

What's in
Bloom

Updated Weekly

Passion for Peonies

Passion for Peonies

Our collection of essays celebrates the story of the Garden and peony gardening.

The W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden at Nichols Arboretum is one of the world’s premiere collections. The garden holds nearly 800 peonies and over 10,000 flowers at peak bloom.

100 Years in Bloom

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@matthaeinichols / Tag Your Photos #umpeonygarden

Growing in our Great Lakes Garden, the Lake Huron

Growing in our Great Lakes Garden, the Lake Huron Tansy (Tanacetum bipinnatum) puts on a stunning show of yellows in July and August. In addition to its bright and cheerful appearance, this species is in a genus used in several culture's traditions, including use as an abortifacient.

Have you been to Fairy Woods and Troll Hollow at N

Have you been to Fairy Woods and Troll Hollow at Nichols Arboretum? This whimsical spot is always changing as nature crafters of all ages build miniature dwellings with nature-based found items. 🧚🧚‍♂🍂🍄
#matthaeinichols #nicholsarboretum #fairyhouse #visitannarbor #natureplay #annarbor

Continuing our #PollinatorWeek spotlights, we’d

Continuing our #PollinatorWeek spotlights, we’d like to share some facts about native bees! Although the Western honeybee, Apis mellifera, has received much of the conservation attention geared towards pollinators, the honeybee is actually an introduced species in North America, just like cattle and pigs.

The real pollination stars are our native bees: worldwide there are over 20,000 species of bees! In North America alone there are nearly 4,000 native species, and in Michigan we are lucky to have over 450 species of native bees working hard to pollinate our native plants and crops.

There are bumble bees, mining bees, sweat bees, mason bees, digger bees, masked bees, cellophane bees, leaf-cutter bees, long-horned bees, carpenter bees, cuckoo bees and so many more! A great place to see some bee diversity beyond honeybees is our Great Lakes Garden, especially the Prairie and Alvar sections. Already this spring, we have observed four species of native Bumble bees working in these gardens (Michigan has 19 Bumble bee species)!

Some great resources to learn more about our native bees are:
- The Xerces Society @xercessociety
- Michigan Pollinator Initiative
- The Bees in Your Backyard by Joseph S. Wilson and Olivia Messinger Carril
- Pollinators of Native Plants by Heather Holm

#MBGNA #pollinators #bees #bugswithbeth #matthaeinichols #puremichigan #michigangardening

With thanks to @bugologist_beth for the amazing content!

Did you know that this week is #NationalPollinator

Did you know that this week is #NationalPollinatorWeek ? We celebrate pollinators every day at the Gardens and Arboretum and are kicking off this special week by showcasing a species familiar to many - the Monarch (Danaus plexippus)!

Pictured is a beautiful monarch caterpillar on Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) in the Great Lakes Garden at Matthaei - you may be seeing some caterpillars now in your own gardens or on nature walks! These recognizable black, yellow, and white-striped garden favorites feed exclusively on Milkweed plants, and will do so until they are plump and ready to metamorphose! They emerge from their beautiful emerald and gold chrysalis into the striking black and orange butterfly that so many of us love. Adults go on to pollinate more than just Milkweed as they sip nectar from other plants, making them important pollinators in our ecosystems. Habitat loss and herbicide use are the main threats that Monarchs face today, but you can help!

How you can help monarchs:
- Plant milkweed! Adult monarchs need milkweed plants to lay their eggs on.
- Limit or eliminate herbicide use in your gardens!
- Report sightings of monarch eggs, caterpillars, and adults at www.journeynorth.org

Stay tuned as we share more pollinators throughout this week!

#matthaeinichols #MBGNA #michigangardening #pollinators

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